Hay-retaining device for stackers.



PATENTED JULY 18, 1905.

J. 0. MoGRBERY. HAY RETAINING DEVICE FOR STACKERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1904. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

\u. A? w: w m SH INVE/VTUR (JC -6S6 0% (519612! WITNESSES:

ATTOR/V Aminm a clwwd unw mni'rmmmnmmvm WASHINGTON. n

PATENT-ED JULY 18, 1905 J- 0. MOGRBEREY. HAY RETAINING DEVICE FOR STAOKERS. APPLICATION YILED NOV. 21, 1904.

I 2 SHEETS-RESET 2.

fl F5 23 ii I "WEI/70R I Jase QJZ CE'eeIy ATTQRNEY8 "ratented July 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE O. MOOREERY, OF FORT MORGAN, COLORADO.

HAY-RETAINING DEVICE FOR STAOKERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 795,154, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed November 21, 1904. Serial No. 233,702.

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, J nssu O. MOGREERY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fort Morgan, in the county of Morgan and State of Colorado, have invented anew and Improved HayRetaining Device for Stackers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a device for use in connection with hay-stackers, which device has a fixed position relative to the carrier-teeth of the stacker, the raketeeth being adapted to pass over the device when depositing hay on the carrier-teeth, and to provide a device with tension-controlled fingers which are automatically depressed as the rake-teeth pass over the carrier-teeth to deliver their load to the latter and which fingers automatically rise at the back of the load of hay prior to the withdrawal of the rake-teeth, so that when the rake-teeth are withdrawn from the carrier-teeth no portion of the load will be withdrawn.

A further purpose of the invention is to construct a device of the character described in such manner that it will in no wise interfere with the action of the stacker and so that the device will be simple, durable, economic, and effective, dispensing with the usual attendants required to accomplish the results aimed at, and,.further, to so construct the device that it may be transported and secured in position at any place where it may be needed.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device and a perspective view of a portion of the teeth of a bull-rake carrying a load. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the teeth of the rake as just entering a position over the carrier-teeth of the stacker. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken practically on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4 and likewise a section through the rake-teeth and the carrier-teeth of the stacker, illustrating the rake-teeth as having been passed sulficiently over the carrier-teeth of the stacker to depress the fingers of the device, the said View likewise illustrating in dotted lines the position that such fingers occupy just prior to the withdrawal of the rake-teeth from the carrier-teeth of the stacker; and Fig. 4: is a partial front elevation of the device.

A represents the teeth of the bull-rake carrying a load A of hay, and B represents the carrier-teeth of a hay-stacker. These carrierteeth B extend over the top portion of a block C, which constitutes the body portion of my improved device and which may be of any desired size. This block is beveled at the upper portion of its rear edge, as is shown at 10in the drawings, so that no obstacle will be presented to the passage of the rake-teeth A over the said block-body should the raketeeth A be a little bit low.

In the detail construction of the improved device eyebolts 11 are located at the end portions of the body-block C and at the center, if necessary, the eyes of the said bolts being at the front face of the block. A shaft 12, which may be tubular, is mounted to turn loosely in the eyes of the said eyebolts 11, and the shaft 12 extends slightly beyond the ends of the body-block C. At each end of this shaft 12 an eyebolt 13 is located, held in place by suitable nuts 14, andthe eyes of the bolts are at their upper ends and extend beyond the ends of the body-block C. One end of a spring 14 is secured to the eye of each end bolt 13, and the opposite ends of the said springs are attached to straps 15, secured to the body-block C at its rear portion below the upper beveled surface 10, or any equivalent of the straps 15 may be employed. The shaft 12 is limited in its rearward movement by stop-fingers 14, secured thereon, adapted to engage with wear-plates 14:, secured to the block C.

Above the shaft 12 a shorter shaft 16 is located at the front of the body-block O. This upper and shorter shaft 16, which also may be tubular, practically engages at its ends with the eyes of the main eyebolts 11, journaling the lower shaft 12, so that the upper shaft 16 is prevented from having end movement, and the two shafts 12 and 16 are connected by bolts 17, held in place by nuts 18. Each bolt 17 is provided with a spacing-nut 19, located between the two shafts.

A series of spring-fingers D is employed, connected with the two shafts 12 and 16 in such manner that normally the said fingers extend up between the teeth B of the stackercarrier. These teeth are of wire of suitable gage or are made from rods of a spring material, and their upper ends 20 are curved more or less forwardly. Normally the spring-fingers D stand straight, having bearing against the front face of the body-block C, and at the lower portion of each spring-finger D a coil 21 is formed. The shaft 16 passes loosely through the coils 21 of all of the spring-fingers, and the lower extremities 22 of the spring-fingers D are passed through suitable apertures in the main shaft 12. In order that the spring-fingers D may pass back without breaking should they encounter any undue obstruction upon their return, recesses d are made in the block 0 back of the fingers, as is shown in Fig. 1. The shaft 16, passing through the coils, holds the said fingers in place and permits them to have proper movement, and the fingers D are held down by means of the bolts 17, connecting the two shafts.

Under ordinary conditions the body-block C of the device is held stationarily in the ground by means of a stake or spike 23, driven through a ring 23 at the central rear portion of the block C, and ordinarily the said bodyblock is placed upon the surface of the ground, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 4; but when the rake-teeth have dropped or are imperfect as to position it may be necessary to drop the body-block C or sink it more or less 'in the ground. When such is the case, a trench 24: is made, of such shape as not to interfere with the action of the spring-fingers and the shafts 12 and l6,as is illustrated by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. The body-block C of the de vice is then placed in the trench and is secured in position, and at such time but a small portion of the body-block C extends above the surface of the ground.

When the device is to be used, it is anchored so that its upper face will be below the free ends of the carrier-teeth of the stacker. In fact, at such time the carrier-teeth of the stacker normally rest upon the upper face of the bod y-block C, and the spring-fingers extend up beyond. the upper face of the body-block between the carrier-teeth of the stacker, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The device having been secured in proper position and a load of hay having been gathered by the rake-teeth A, the rake is backed until its teeth and the load thereon are carried forward over the teeth B of the stacker, as is shown in Figs. 2

and 3. As the rake-teeth and the load thereon are pushed forward over the teethof the stacker the fingers D are pressed downward, as is shown by positive lines in Fig. 3, engaging with the bottom portion of the load, but not entering the hay to any appreciable extent by reason of the upper ends of said fingers being more or less curved in a forward direction. When the spring-fingers D are pressed downward, as has been described, the springs 14 are placed under tension, and after the load has been carried by the rake-teeth to its proper position relative to the teeth B of the stacker the springfingers D will have been released and will assume a vertical position at the rear of the load. -(Shown by dot ted lines in Fig. 3.) At such time the rake may be withdrawn from the stacker, and the spring-fingers D will act to prevent the hay from being withdrawn with the rake-teeth, compelling the load to find rest on the carrierteeth B of the stacker, and at such time the carrier-teeth of the stacker may be raised to place the load on the stack without any interference whatsoever from the device.

It will be understood that the teeth D have a tendency to return to their normal upright position when released from pressure; but they are assisted in such return by the contraction of the end springs 14:.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A hay-retaining device for stackers,com prising a fixed body portion adapted to occupy a position beneath the carrier-teeth of the stacker, and a portion movable up and down above said teeth, and normally held in its uppermost position, said portion being depressed by the load as it is deposited upon the carrier-teeth of the stacker.

2. A hay-retaining device for stackers,comprising a support, and spring-controlled fingers carried by the support, operated in one position by a load passing over them and having an automatic return.

3. A hay-retaining device for stackers, consisting of a support, spring-controlled fingers located on the support, capable of being carried to an inclined position or automatically returned to the upright normal position.

4. In hay-retaining devices for stackers, the combination with the carrier-teeth of a stacker, of a support independent of the said teeth and located below them, and tensioncontrolled fingers carried by the support and extending between the said carrier-teeth of the stacker.

5. The combination with the carrier-teeth of a stacker and a hay-rake, of a hay-retaining device located beneath the carrier-teeth of the stacker independent of said teeth, and spring-controlled fingers located on the said support, having normally an upright position and capable of assuming an inclined position, the said teeth being carried to an inclined position by the passage of a load over them carried by the hay-rake teeth, thefingers returning automatically to their upright position after the load has passed them.

6. A portable hay retaining device for stackers, consisting of a base, a shaft, bearingsfor the said shaft located on the base, tension devices connected with the base and with the said shaft, a second shaft, a connection between the two shafts, and spring-fingers extending from the upper shaft, having coils which are loosely passed around the upper shaft, the lower ends of the said springfingers being secured in the lower shaft.

7 Ahay-retaining device for stackers, consisting of a support, spring-controlled fingers located on the support, said fingers being normally held in an upright position, and capable of being carried forward to an inclined position, and also to a rearwardly-inclined position when subjected to excessive strain.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JESSE O. MCGREERY.

Witnesses:

WM. A. HILL, (J. (J. RIoKEL. 

